Katie Manning is the founding Editor-in-Chief of Whale Road Review and an Associate Professor of Writing at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Her full-length poetry collection, Tasty Other, won the 2016 Main Street Rag Poetry Book Award. Find her at www.katiemanningpoet.com. This upcoming August 17, Thursday evening from 7:30pm-9:00pm, Manning will travel through Enliten Cafe as the Speak for Yourself Open Mic hosts a night of conversation and poetry.

“Tasty Other is a stunning collection where the surreal feels terribly real—Manning’s dream poems about pregnancy and motherhood are funny, frightening, and absurd—which resembles parenthood perfectly. Manning’s voice invites us into her subconscious and makes us feel at home there. Tasty Other is a must read.” —J. Bruce Fuller, Author of Flood

peculiar is a queer literary journal that aims to showcase the prose, poetry, art, and photography of Utah’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and otherwise queer writers and artists. We hope to recognize the creative talents of the often overlooked queer community within Utah’s unique culture.​

In our first issue, co-editor-in-chief Aaron Gates wrote the following in his foreword: “To belong, isn’t that what we are fighting for, constantly? Every day a wave surges against us, telling us we are too different, telling us we have no place, telling us that something is wrong with us. No one can tell you what you are worth; that is for you to decide.” So we hope you’ll decide to be brave. To be strong. To be beautiful.​

The SUBMISSION DEADLINE for our fifth issue (volume three: issue two) is JULY 16th at MIDNIGHT (MST). After which, peculiar staff will do blind readings…

The Rock Canyon Poets are pleased to be the guests of Lithic Bookstore & Gallery in Fruita, CO to read original poetry from Orogeny, their second collection of poems by local Utah County poets, on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 7:00 pm.

Rock Canyon Poets boasts diverse membership, ranging from 18 to 71 years in age with many backgrounds–including literary journal founders, editors, ex-military, business professionals, a playwright, and a periodontist. Individually, they have received several awards and been published in magazines, anthologies, journals, chapbooks, and full-length books of poetry. Rock Canyon Poets offer poetry with the tactile clarity of tin-can messages through fuzzy strings to the ears of an audience. These poems are tumbleweeds in semi-truck grills. They get stuck in your teeth, build bridges of spun sugar, and make it possible to mount a camel without a sturdy ladder.

Co-founded by Bonnie Shiffler-Olsen and Trish Hopkinson in January, 2015, Rock Canyon Poets was established to develop camaraderie among Utah Valley poets, provide consistent workshopping and reading opportunities, and promote the disciplined study of writing poetry as a serious art form. Members meet twice a month at Pioneer Book in historic downtown Provo. The group sponsors poetry readings and an open mic on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. Membership is by invitation or portfolio submission only.